Photographic film developing apparatus



Apr 29, W347i,

PHOTOGRAPHIC FLM DEELONG APPARATUS (RWS haat

Fil Aug. 5l, 1944 April 29, 1947. s. n PAK PHTOGRAPHC FILM DEVELOPNGAPPARATUS Filed Aug. 51, 1944 5 SheGS-She 4 April 29, 1947. J, PASKPHOTOGRAPHIC FILM DEVELOPING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 151, 1944 5Shoetfs--SheefI 5 .ummm 9?@ @N INVENTOR. 'Sfmt/JPCLS HHOWI' PatentedApr. 29, 1947 PHOTGRAPHC FILM DEVELPNG APPARATUS Stanley J. Pask, LongIsland City, N.. Y., assigner to Grant Photo Froducts, lne., New York,N.. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August 31, 1944, SerialNo. 552,081

7 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for dem veloplng latent imagephotographic exposures, with special reference to such as are made onstrips of material, as, for example, moving picture films or directpositive paper.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an apparatus throughwhich a lm or direct positive paper may be moved continuously for thepurpose of development, the illm or paper passing in a straight linewithout danger of damage to the emulsion carried thereby.

Another object is in the economy of opera tion, the chemicals beingre-used, avoiding waste. mixing or dilution.

A further object is in the provision oi a compact apparatus for thispurpose, positive and entirely automatic in its action, adapted for longservice, and requiring only a minimum amount of attendance.

These and other allied objects are attained by the novel and practicalconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter describedand shown in the accompanying drawings, forming an important componentof this disclosure, and in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a complete embodiment of theinvention.

Figure 2 is an end View thereof.

Figure 3 is a partial side, partial longitudinal sectional view, showingthe principal ele ments on an enlarged scale, also showing the removalof the casing on one end thereof.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Figure 3,and further enlarged.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FigureFigure 6 is a partial plan, partial longitudinal sectional view, takensubstantially on line S-J of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, taken on line l-lof Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken as on line 8-8 of Figure l,showing the relative position of the diaphragm pumps to the rest of themechanism.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section of the driv ing mechanism andassociated parts, as on line 9--9 of Figure 3.

Figure l is a horizontal section as on line l0-l0 of Figure l, showingthe driving mechanism and adjuncts.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral I designates a platformor floor on which rest columns I6 supporting a rigid level angle Ilextending the entire length of the apparatus.

A pail' of hollow upright rectangular frames i8 and i9, carried by theupper member of the angle, support a closed, box-like chamber 20 onwhich is mounted an electric motor 2l, its shaft pulley driving a beltt2, trained over a large wheel 23 iixed on a spindle 24 journaled at itsends in the side Walls of the chamber adjacently over the inner framei8.

As best shown in Figure l0, there is xed to the spindle 24 the half 25of an expansible grooved pulley, the other hall 26 being keyed to thespindle and movable thereon by a clutch 2l on the end of a lever 28,pivoted ou a post 29, set vertically in the chamber, and adjustable by ascrew 28' in the wall of the chamber 20, these pulleys being connectedby a belt 2li.

The opposite end of the lever has a similar clutch 35i adapted to movethe adjustable part 26 of a similar pulley 25' along a spindle 3l,rotatable in the outer part of the chamber 20, and having a drive gear32 fixed upon it to transmit motion to a Worm Wheel 33 fast upon anupright shaft 34.

Secured midway of the length of the shaft 34 is a Worm 3l meshed with aworm, wheel 3B, se cured to a transverse spindle 39 (see Figure 9).

inwardly adjacent a clutch 4l is a spur gear 42 meshed with a matinggear 43. On the extreme end of the spindle 39 is a sprocket M driving anendless chain trained over a single sprocket 46 at the opposite end ofthe apparatus and communicating rotary motion to a series of pairs ofsprockets along its reach, as iurther described.

All these sprockets are journaled on spindles mounted in a housing 4lextending the full length of the apparatus, open at the bottom andprovided with a cover 48 resting partially on a thick plate 49 at theentering end of the housing tl.

Referring to Figure l of the drawings, the tape or film 50 will be seenas coiled upon a spool 5l, mounted in any convenient manner, to passbetween guide rolls E2, past a camera 53 to shears 54, hand ormechanically operated; thence between guide rolls 55 to enter thebeveled entrance 56 (sec Figures 6 and '7), leading to a narrow slot v5lthrough which the film passes to become engaged between a pair of softfaced feed rolls {S8-59, respectively upper and lower, their peripheriespartially extending into recesses formed in the inner side oi the endplate i@ to enter the first compartment 60 of the housing ill.

This pair of rolls is mounted on spindles 6 L M, mounted in the sidewalls of the housing and connected by spur gears 63 at one end, anddriven by the sprocket 46 and chain 55. All the several other pairs ofrolls are of similar construction, mounted and driven in like manner.

The other end of the compartment 60 is formed partially by a partition64, extending down from the cover 48 and shaped at its lower end 65 toclosely conform to the upper of a second pair of rolls SS-B'L A lowerpartial partition 68 is in close proximity to the lower roll 6l andcontains a transverse slot 8S into which is closely itted the raisedside edge lll of a pan l l the opposite raised edge i2 of which issimilarly engaged tightly in a corresponding slot 'i3 in the lower edgeof the end plate 45.

The front and rear walls of the housing are held together by bolts 'lwhich pass through a xed blocl; "l5, intermediate 'the rolls 53 and dii,its under surface being just clear of the plane of lm travel.

The pan rests on the upper member of the angle and, together withothers, supports the housing 41 and forms liquid-tight joints with thecompartments through 'which the film passes.

Below the block l5 are plates 16 on the opposite side wall, attachedthereto by screws '11, with which the marginal edges of the nlm mayconteo during its advancement.

Spaced below the path of the film, substantially equally between therolls 5S and 6l, is an inverted rectangular cup 18 having a plurality ofperforations 19 in its main portion, and provided with down-reachingside walls 80 tightly fitted over the edges of a dispensing head 8|.

This head has a concave upper surface 82 and contains a threaded bore 33to receive a tube Si?, turned at an angle and connected by a iiexiblesleeve 85, with another bent tube 8E engaged with a pump 8l, here shownas of the diaphragm type, supported by a bracket 3?' on the uprightmember of the angle |71.

A circular chamber in the pump 81 is closed by a flexible diaphragm 88,clamped by a ring 58 at its margin, held by screws 90, and actuated bye. pad Si having a forked stem S2, pivoted to a lever 03, as at lill.

One end of the lever is pivoted on a pin 95 set in a bracket SE, forminga part of the pump casing, while the opposite free end is pivoted, at9T, to the end of an arm 98, integral with a ring 99 mounted on aneccentric |00, fixed on a. shaft I0 l, supported in an appropriatebearing |0|' on the level angle ll',

Liquid is applied to the pump by a tube 02 suitable telescopically inanother tube 03, its lower end having a perforation |04 and itsextremity being raised above the bottom of a tanl: |05, resting on theplatform l5, thus preventing sediment from the tani; from entering thepump.

On one side of the housing 4l is attached a casing |08, covering theseveral gear trains and adapted to return any liquid that may enter,through an opening in the housing wall to the pan 'l A similar casing08, on the opposite side, covering the sprockets and chain, performs alike function by delivering any liquids through an opening |09 to thesame pan.

Set in the bottom of the pan 'll is a tube llt telescopically engagingin another tube lll leading to the corresponding tank 05, therebydraining the pan, preventing loss of the liquid and returning all excessof liquid dispensed by the head SS.

In case plain water is used i'or washing purposes, it will bedischarged, preferably through a. bent tube |12, leading to a waste line||3 de- 4 livering outwardly of th'c apparatus. Drainage of any liquidthat may occur above the iilm is accomplished by pairs of vents ||4formed in the side walls of the housing 4l, as seen in Figures 3, 4, 6and 7, and delivering to the pan 1|.

The pump shaft lill is driven by a bevel gear HE meshed with a matinggear ||6 fixed on a transverse shaft ||1, passing through the angle l1and having secured to it a grooved pulley ||8 over which is trained aV-belt ||9 driven by a pulley E20 fast on the spindle 24.

Another pulley on the shaft lll drives a rearwardly extending belt I2|trained over a pulley |22 fixed on the upper spindle |23 of a gear prunp|24 of known design. This pump is fed from any Convenient source ofsupply through a pipe |25, its educt directed through a curved tube |26to a header |21.

This header |'2' is shown as being composed of a plurality of sections,diminishing in diameter to the end, in which is set a plug |28; eachsection is provided with a delivery tube |29 to discharge individuallyinto its corresponding washing compartment |30, arranged intermediatethe several chemical compartments *60, 20a, 00o, and after the lastcompartment 60o, the washing compartments being denoted as |30, |30a,|3017 and |300.

In operation, as the film 50 passes through the first compartment 60with its emulslfied surface on its lower side, it is drenched by adeveloping solution, forced by the pump 81 through the perforated head18 from the tank |05.

The film continues through the first, relatively narrower, washingcompartment |30, where it is subjected to a torrent of pure water,delivered from any source, as by the pump |24, thoroughly removing alltrace of the chemicals; thereafter the lm passes through the secondcompartment a, where it is treated to a bleaching solution, excess ofwhich is completely removed by continuing through the adjacent washingcompartment |300;

'The third compartment 6023 is for a iixing chemical, excess of which isremoved by iiooding in compartment |3022; the iilm continues through astabilizing solution in compartment 50c, and thence through the finalrinsing compartment e, Where all traces oi' the chemicals are removed,the film issuing in finished condition, ready for drying.

t is noted that only the emulsion side of the film is subjected totreatament by the chemicals and washing, that no possible abrasion canoccur, that no bending takes place, and that the process is entirelyautomatic and continuous.

It will further be noted that because of the contour of partitions 6land 68, and the presence of two pairs of rolls in each compartment, itis :1ct possible for a liquid in one compartment, whether chemical orwater, to be carried to the .neXt.

Having thus fully described the invention, what il; claimed as new anddesired to be secured by lletters Patent of the United States is:

l. A lm developing apparatus having a stand, series of tanks in the basethereof, each tank containing a dlrlerent developing solution, means forcontinuously advancing a IElim in a straight path. the nlm being flatand its face directed downwardly, an elongated receptacle for eachsolution having perforations in its cover directly below the film,tubular connections between each tank and its corresponding receptacle,a pump in each connection, a guard over the film at the passage over thereceptacle, means to collect and y?? Qt;

:wiping mma f may if e Wijs 10? z, am

on Peiow said Incas is adjacent she ruf'f be,

